Randomness

Here is another addition of my random thoughts...

1. I am so glad that the kids are loving school so much. Especially Brennan, he is adjusting to life in preschool so well!

2. How in the world am I going to handle 32 3rd graders? That is DOUBLE my class size from last year almost...what is this darn district thinking?!?

3. It is SO humid lately, I am not sure how much more I can take. I swear we are all sweating by 8 am! And now is it raining and 98 degrees!

4. I wish I could shut my mind off at night, like a switch, because I seriously haven't slept a full night in at least a week. Ugh.

5. Explain to me why talking on your cell phone in your car is not legal anymore in CA, but text messaging while you are driving is? Honestly, think about which one takes more hand/eye coordination.

6. What am I supposed to do with all the papers Emerson brings home from school? Now I know what parents feel like when I send home stacks too!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

The Boy's BIG day!

WOW! My little boy started big boy school today! We started our normal routine today, with Jeff handling drop off, since it is in the opposite direction from my work. The kids loaded up, I kissed them goodbye and said a little prayer that all would go well.
Jeff called me about a half hour later to say that Emerson cried (sad, but honestly not surprised) and Brennan walked up the steps and said "BYE, Daddy!". and walked right on in. LOL!

I guess as the morning wore on Brennan had a few tears, but overall he had a great day!

Fast forward to later tonight...we headed to our friend's house for dinner to celebrate Tad's "real" birthday. As we pull onto the street Brennan's says, "Mommy! This is where my FRIEND Patty lives!!!". Patty is whom he has been with for daycare for basically his entire life! We have been at Patty's for over 5 years, and this is our first year without walking through her door. I have certainly felt the loss, and apparently so did Brennan.
This is the "boy" smile he has... growling at the camera!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Kindergarten, Here we come!

Well, it is official, we have a kindergartner in our house. Emerson had her first day of Kindergarten today. We started preparing weeks ago... buying her a new backpack, lunch bag, school supplies, all the essentials to start the school year. Last night after a bath, Emerson requested that we put her hair in curlers for the big day. So she awoke this morning with beautiful little ringlets. I made her favorite breakfast, cinnamon rolls, and we headed out of the house. She was a little quiet in the car, but started to tear up once we arrived at school. The nerves were definitely getting to her. She was very teary upon entering her class, but her teacher, Mrs. Torgerson put her right at ease with her name tag and a "Key" to kindergarten. We went about putting her things away and chatting with her classmates. At 8am the class lined up to head outside for morning prayer, flag salute, and their first day welcome. Emerson jumped in line with her friends and headed outside. This is of course when I began to have a hard time. My little girl is not so little anymore, wow. Not so easy to take.

As I picked her up at 12pm today (their first day is a half day), she welcomed me with a big smile and plenty of stories about her first day. Phew, one down and so many more to go!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

P.S. Brennan has his first "real" day tomorrow for preschool. The preschool has a "meet and greet" on the first day, but the kids don't stay. So, more pictures to come tomorrow with our little man's first day.

Lauren's 3rd birthday

We helped celebrate Lauren's 3rd birthday on Saturday with a pool party! The Black's pool is finally finished (as of Friday, talk about close!) and we were able to celebrate Lauren's birthday in the cool water.

A tired birthday girl taking a break

Getting ready for her candles

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Wine

A trip to Napa would certainly not be complete without a trip wine tasting.

Sunday morning we made breakfast and hung around the house. Then, we packed a picnic lunch and headed out to Pine Ridge winery for some great tasting and our yummy lunch. After a great lunch, we made our way to Chimney Rock winery.

We finished our day with a champagne toast at my favorite, Domaine Carneros. This is the winery where Jeff and I took our before-wedding photos...and now 7 years later we are toasting our great friends' 10th anniversary on the balcony. What a great way to end our weekend!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Aren't surprises great?

I love a good surprise, and even better when I am one of the people doing the surprising! Over the last few months, Amy, and I have been secretly planning a celebration of Tad and Tiffany 10 years of marriage. Quite an accomplishment, definitely worth a celebration. So, months of planning, one week of intense planning, 4 hours of crazy decorating and cooking, and 20 minutes of anxious waiting... and you get this look:)

Mercer and Spencer

Yummy cupcakes

Stacy and I

It was a great party! So fun to see all our good friends who we don't get to see very often and just hang out.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Ear Checkup

So Brennan had another ENT appt. yesterday afternoon. We seem to be becoming quite the experts on these Dr. appts. He had a hearing test, then an exam from the Dr. I was very curious how the appt. would go considering it was once again during his nap time (they never have morning appts. available). Sure enough he was playing shy and not wanting to do much on the hearing test. But, she was able to get enough information to give to the Dr.
The results:

• His right ear, with the tube still in place, is hearing at a great, almost perfect level.
• His left ear, no tube, has mild hearing loss still, although not as bad as it was in May.
• The Dr. feels like his speech is coming along at a fairly decent pace, especially since the right ear is hearing so well, basically making up for the small lack of hearing in his left ear.
• IF Bren gets another ear infection between now and Nov. we have to go back in immediately.
• IF when we go back in Nov. and his hearing in either ear is not the same or better than it is now, we need to talk about having another surgery.

So, the bottom line, pray for no ear infections and continued improvement in his hearing in the left ear. I am not sure I could handle another surgery for my little man.

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Happy Wedding Birthday!

to US! 7 years ago today Jeff and I were walking down the aisle and saying "I DO" in front of all our family and friends. The last 7 years have been very busy. We have lived in three different cities, moved across the state, owned two houses, had two beautiful (if I do say so myself:))kids, bought and gotten rid of a dog (he went to a great home!), changed jobs, and grown together as a family. We just don't do well, living a boring life, I guess.

Happy Wedding Birthday to us!

I love you sweetie! Thanks for 7 great years, I look forward to many more.

Pool FUN!

Nothing quite beats playing in the pool on a hot day!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Is that rain???

Emerson: "Mommy! I think it is raining outside!"

Me: "No sweetie that is just thunder and lightening for now, but maybe the rain will come too".

Emerson: "But, Mommy look outside (obviously nothing wet on the ground when we look) it is dark and the water is falling from the sky."

Me: "Sweetie, yes it is dark, but not raining yet."

Emerson: "Well, can we take our umbrellas out in case it does rain?"

Me: "Sure, but only if it starts to rain."

about 5 minutes pass...

Emerson and Brennan: "MOMMYYYYYYY, IT IS RAINING!!!!"

My goodness, you would have thought it was Christmas morning or something. SO sad, that living in the desert we really don't get rain often at all, so this is the reaction that happens when we do. LOL! Too cute!

Lots of love,

The Grady's

Modern Amenities

You know things like running water, electricity, and many others are obviously very important to most people. Some people like myself have a hard time living without computer, radio, or TV, although it is very possible to do so. Something I am not so capable of living without, in the middle of the summer, in the desert.....AIR CONDITIONING!!!!
I woke up at 3am this morning feeling warm, not really sure why since I could hear our air conditioner running. Then I heard Brennan wake up, so in the middle of getting him something to drink I glanced at the thermostat...88 degrees!!!! Are you freakin' kidding me? No wonder I was hot! No wonder poor Brennan woke up thirsty. Our stupid a/c is obviously broken and now I am crabby at the thought of how long it will be until it is fixed. ARRRGHHHH!!!

Lots of love,
The Grady's

**UPDATE**
The wonderful air conditioner man came about 10 this morning and fixed the broken part and added more frion. The house is now much more comfortable! YIPPEE!

The beach AND Mickey Mouse!?!?

We couldn't go to OC and not make a trip to the "Happiest Place on Earth"! The third day of our trip was spent at Disneyland. Of course it was busy, I mean it is summer, but honestly, not as bad as I would have thought. The kids did amazing considering we were there from 8am until 10pm! It was a great visit to the park, I even went on some rides I have never been on (considering I have been to Disney over 20 times, I thought that was pretty cool!). Brennan loved the new Buzz Lightyear ride where you get to shoot (we say "get") all the alien bad guys. Emerson loved the Tea Cups and of course the Carousel.

Brennan taking Lauren for a drive.

Kaitlyn and Lauren "cheeesing" for the camera.

Emerson on the carousel.

(notice Brennan covering his ears, the steamboat was just leaving and the horns were blowing!)

Jeff and Brennan ready to "take off"

Lots of love,

The Grady's

What better way to beat the heat...

than to go to the beach!!! We just came home from three days at the beach. In January Jeff and I stayed at this great hotel in Huntington Beach for my birthday. While we were there we said that we had to come back with the kids in the summer, since it was directly across the street from the sand. The Black's joined us for some fun in the sun.

The kids looking for buried treasure.

Emerson learning how to boogy board.

Brennan LOVING being on the board.

Emma and Kaitlyn playing in the sand.

Lots of love,

The Grady's